Split between hawks and doves, Stéphane Dion's opposition party has hammered out its long-promised common-ground position that includes signalling to allies that Canada will give up the leadership of the Kandahar-based NATO mission at the end of its current tour, two years from now.
An agreement is an agreement, even if its a bad one, and to leave beforehand would be, as Mr. Dion has said, dishonorable.
Also, it seems that, as Mr. Bush sees Iraq go down the crapper and desperately casts about for some kind of positive legacy, he is recommitting to the Afghanistan mission. I doubt that 3,000 extra bodies will have any lasting effect, but at least it doesn't look so much like America is fobbing off this particular disaster on its NATO allies, Canada included, and heading for the hills.
And, finally, this story merits watching.
2 comments:
Keep an eye on those Brits that will be leaving Iraq.
It would not surprise me at all that they head home via Kabul.
My disagreements with the Afghan mission tend to be on the practical side--that while the ideals behind it are okay the U.S. is cheaping out and bailing on the whole thing, leaving us holding the bag. The more U.S./English/NATO bodies fighting along side of Canada, the better I would feel about the mission.
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